Port Blair, Nov 17 2020
The residents of Campbell Bay, Great Nicobar had protested against the A & N Administration on 16th of November 2020, for regular shipping services to the Island as well as for BSNL 4G connectivity. The protest was called off during evening hours, when the Assistant Commissioner visited the protest site and gave it in writing that the demands of the general public may be fulfilled from coming month.
The general public of Campbell Bay is still not satisfied by the response of the A & N Administration towards their genuine demands. The Ex-PRI members of Campbell Bay have now decided to protest against the Administration on Monday, if their demands are not met by this Friday. The Ex-PRI’s of Great Nicobar Island had earlier written a joint letter to the Chief Secretary of Andaman and Nicobar Administration and copies of the letter were also sent to the Personal Secretary to Hon’ble Lt. Governor, Deputy Commissioner, Nicobar District and Assistant Commissioner, Campbell Bay.
The PRI’s of Great Nicobar are being supported by the general public of Campbell Bay, Small Traders Association, Builders Association, Autorickshaw Association and there will be complete shutdown of all shops, trucks, Autorickshaws, construction activities until and unless the demands raised by the PRI’s are fulfilled. The roads in Campbell Bay will also be blocked during the entire protest period.
The demands raised by the Ex-PRI’s in their joint letter includes:
- Providing clean potable drinking water in COVID-19 Isolation Center, Campbell Bay.
- Pawan Hans Helicopter services to Campbell Bay on all days of the week.
- Atleast 03 Passenger Ship Sailings per month for Campbell Bay.
- Tickets to the attenders and relatives of the referred patient on Pawan Hans Helicopters.
- Upgradation of 2G BTS Installed at Campbell Bay by BSNL to 4G BTS and to provide high speed data services to the Islanders.
- Electricity and Water Connections to the encroachers, which has been stopped after the intervention of the present Assistant Commissioner.
- Posting of adequate number of Subject teachers for all schools at Campbell Bay.
In their letter, the PRI’s have also mentioned that the Unlock 5 Guidelines issued by the Ministry of Home Affairs, clearly states that, there should be no restriction on inter-state and intra-state movement of goods and passengers and questioned the Administration on why it is not providing vessels regularly for Campbell Bay even after clear orders from the Govt. of India.
They have also mentioned to the Chief Secretary, that he had tweeted from his official twitter handle about the commissioning of High Speed Internet in Campbell Bay, but the ground reality is different. They have mentioned that in reality no new broadband connections are being given to the people of Campbell Bay and the mobile data services needs to be upgraded.
The PRI’s had also demanded that M.V Coral Queen should be utilised instead of M.V Chowra for ferrying passengers to Campbell Bay since M.V Chowra is in a dilapidated state and is not suitable for female passengers with kids. Their demand was not granted and M.V Chowra is sailing for Campbell Bay tomorrow on 18th of Nov 2020.
The Ex-PRI’s have mentioned in the letter that their demands should be met in a week, failing which they will resort to massive Dharna Pradarshan/Chakka Jam.
“A meeting was called today by the Ex-PRI’s and all the associations have agreed to support the Dharna Pradarshan and Chakka Jam on Monday. If the Administration fails to grant our demands, we along with the public and with support of all association will close everything for indefinite period in Campbell Bay” said an Ex-PRI Member of Great Nicobar while speaking to Nicobar Times, late this evening.
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